


No-vember

by Takara_Phoenix



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Misunderstandings, Nicercy - Freeform, Percy REALLY wants to date Nico, Shounen-ai, Slash, boys are idiots, but Nico doesn't get it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-23
Updated: 2014-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-22 07:24:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2499479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Takara_Phoenix/pseuds/Takara_Phoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written before "Blood of Olympus" was out, so completely disregard what Rick did there, yeah? - After the Giant War, Percy is trying to ask Nico out.<br/>Nico is a moron.<br/>He thinks that Percy just wants to hang out as friends, so he keeps saying no whenever Percy asks him to spend time with him. Because Nico is trying to protect himself from heartbreak.<br/>Percy is slowly getting desperate after getting shot down again and again. So he asks his friends for advise. Nico does the same and Reyna and Jason agree - Nico, you moron, just spend time with him!<br/>Things get awkward when Paul and Sally get thrown into the middle of it and make Nico realize that he's in the middle of his first date with Percy Jackson.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No-vember

Title: No-vember – Not Dating During Autumn

Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus; post both series

Disclaimer : All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. Aside from the Gods, they belong to the old Greeks. This fanfiction and its OCs on the other hand are entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: shounen-ai, fluff, boys are stupid, mpreg (mentioned), shoujo-ai, hetero, threesome

Main Pairing: Nicercy

Side Pairings: Frank/Hazel/Leo, Piper/Annabeth, Jason/Reyna, Grover/Juniper, Paul/Sally

Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Leo Valdez, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang, Annabeth Chase, Piper McLean, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Jason Grace, Clarisse la Rue, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Calypso, Juniper, Grover Underwood, Paul Blofis, Sally Jackson, Small Bob, Mrs. O'Leary, Zerberus, Blackjack

Summary: Percy is trying to ask Nico out on a date. Nico keeps refusing, because he thinks Percy just wants to do stuff as friends and Nico doesn't think he could stand being alone with Percy as just friends. It would only get his hopes up. So he keeps saying 'no', making both of them miserable.

 

**No-vember**

_ Not Dating During Autumn _

 

“Hey, Nico! There's this new horror-movie out. I figured you'd want to go and see it?”

“No, I already saw that one with Hazel. Sorry, Percy.”

–

“Do you want to go swimming in the lake with me, Neeks?”

“Don't call me Neeks, seaweed brain. And really? Unlike you, I can feel the freezing temperatures of the water. It's autumn, Percy. No, I'm not going to freeze my balls off in the lake.”

–

“You know, they have this really awesome blue ice in that café around the corner, you have to try it. We could go today, if you don't have other plans?”

“It's not summer anymore. I think no one aside from you eats ice cream in autumn, Percy.”

–

“So... my mom wanted to know if you want to come over for dinner this weekend.”

“I have errands to run in the underworld for my father. Tell Sally I'm sorry.”

–

“Oh my gods, they have this awesome giant pizza in that new restaurant down the street. But it's way too much for one person. You wanna come and share, Ghost King?”

“I'm _Italian_. I have standards about pizza, Percy. Not the grease you eat.”

 

/break\

 

“And all of that only this week?”, asked Annabeth stunned, blinking a couple of times.

“Uhu”, grunted Percy and collapsed on the ground.

They were sitting on a blanket in the woods outside of Camp Half-Blood. It was the middle of November, but Percy was in dire need of seeing his best friends, so he had taken Blackjack and went to visit them. Blackjack whined where he stood next to the small picnic place, so Percy picked up a doughnut and offered it to his friend. Blackjack looked pleased as he walked up to Percy.

“I don't get it. I mean... you're a catch”, stated Leo with a frown, biting his apple. “I'd totally go for you if we wouldn't both be bottoms, Perce. I mean, you're kind and beautiful and funny. He'd have to be a total dumb-ass not to go on a date with you!”

“I know, right?”, huffed Percy with a pout.

He had gathered some of the year-rounders. Clarisse, Annabeth and Leo – as well as Rachel, Grover, Juniper and Calypso. After the Giant War, Leo had fulfilled his promise and freed Calypso. She had moved to Camp Half-Blood and she was grateful to Leo, but they both knew that what they had wasn't romance, but they had formed a bickering friendship with the time.

“Maybe you just didn't find the right activity yet?”, suggested Juniper softly. “What about a picnic like this? I mean, Nico is old-fashioned. Maybe something more old-fashioned would be better.”

“Yeah, he probably just waits for the _perfect_ first date”, nodded Piper, taking Annabeth's hand into her own. “I mean, not everybody can have a date in Rome like Annie and I did.”

Percy snorted a little. The two girls had gotten together when they had been in Rome, searching for Nico. The vision of Nico slowly dieing in that jar had made Percy realize that he couldn't lose the son of Hades, that he was in love with Nico. So he had done the right thing and broken up with Annabeth. They had needed distance for a while after that and when Annabeth had left for her fight against Arachne, Piper had accompanied her on the way. They had stopped at a café, in Rome, starting off as friends, but when Annabeth was supposed to leave, Piper gathered her courage and kissed her. It had been the perfect and encouraging first date they had needed.

“What are you even doing here?”, asked Percy with one cocked eyebrow.

“Visiting my girlfriend”, shrugged Piper with a grin and stole a kiss from Annabeth.

“Oh, maybe that's what you should do!”, exclaimed Rachel, taking a sandwich. “Visiting him, I mean. He keeps hiding in the underworld, so maybe that's his comfort-zone. Do something there.”

“Because the underworld is so fucking romantic”, snorted Clarisse with a glare.

“I was stuck on an island and I made it work over and over again”, stated Calypso. “Location doesn't matter, it's the people who have to make it work.”

“With all due respect, but you only made it work short-term”, criticized Annabeth skeptically.

“And an island is pretty romantic”, added Percy. “All the water around...”

“That's the son of Poseidon in you talking”, pointed Grover out, grinning amused. “So maybe Rachel has a point. Nico probably finds the underworld romantic.”

“But uncle Hades would _kill_ me at sight”, argued Percy with a frown.

“True enough”, nodded Piper slowly. “So maybe a substitute for the underworld?”

“What in the world would that be?”, snorted Percy confused.

“A ghost train ride? Go to a fair with him”, suggested Annabeth, perking up.

“Yeah, a fair is quite romantic”, agreed Juniper.

“You could win stuff for him, show him what you got”, offered Clarisse.

“And then you ride the Ferris wheel and cling to each other for dear life”, snickered Leo.

“Our fear of height is totally rational”, huffed Percy embarrassed. “But I like the idea...”

“What's a Ferris wheel?”, asked Calypso confused.

“Right. That's still on our list of modern day stuff you need to know”, nodded Leo with a grin.

“I imagine that list to be _long_ ”, stated Annabeth and blinked a couple of times. “I hope you at least put some important architecture onto it. And museums.”

“Pansy stuff”, complained Clarisse. “You need to come to a football game with me, girl.”

“Oh, there are beautiful guards, especially in England. You should see them!”, exclaimed Juniper with a sigh. “Grover took me there once, it was beautiful. Wasn't it?”

Grover grinned sheepishly. It had been a weird vacation, traveling with a  _tree_ , but he had to take his girlfriend somewhere special after the wars. And the smile Juniper offered him now was worth every trouble. The nymph leaned over and kissed him softly.

“I want that too!”, complained Percy, pointing at them. “How do I get Nico to kiss me like that?”

“I took Juniper somewhere she would enjoy. Start with that ghost train and if that's not good enough, we'll get together again and figure something better out”, offered Grover with a grin.

 

/break\

 

“There... is a fare and I thought, maybe we could go together.”

“A fare? Percy, how old are you? I really don't have the time for childish stuff like that.”

–

“Would you show me around the underworld sometime, maybe? Hazel told me about how beautiful Persephone's garden is, I'd really like to see it. Please, Nico?”

“If Hazel told you, why don't you ask my sister to show you around?”

–

“I think Mrs. O'Leary is homesick. What do you say, a play-date for her and Zerberus? Me and her could drop by and visit, Nico?”

“I don't think that's a good idea, Percy. Besides, I'll be in New Orleans for the week.”

–

“Mom and Paul want to go on a vacation. I thought Italy would be great. But since none of us speak Italian, we thought maybe... uhm... you'd want to come with us...?”

“I've seen enough of Italy in my time, Perce. Go and enjoy your family vacation.”

–

“Nico, _Finding Dory_ hits the theaters next week and Annabeth and Clarisse are making fun of me. Do you want to come with me so I don't feel so much out of place? Please?”

“I don't have time, Percy. Maybe another time.”

 

/break\

 

Nico groaned annoyed as he plunged down on the couch in Hazel's apartment. Hazel and Frank's apartment in New Rome. His half-sister cocked one eyebrow at him, but she continued drinking her tea. She was used to her brother just dropping by without any warning.

“Hey, di Angelo. I nearly forgot what you looked like there”, joked Jason, digging into his cake.

Hazel, Frank, Jason and Reyna had a little tea party double-date. Reyna looked up curiously.

“Where have you been, Nico?”, questioned the female praetor.

“In the underworld. Hiding from Percy”, supplied Frank. “More milk, Reyna?”

“Yes, please”, nodded Reyna, holding her cup up for him. “Why were you hiding from Percy?”

“Because ever since the war ended, Percy is trying to make amends, I think. I think he's still feeling guilty about Calypso and Bob, so he's trying to be a better friend to me, or something”, grunted Nico, head lolled back. “It's nice that he tries and all, but... He keeps asking me to check out new restaurants, or go and see movies and... If I'd do this, it would be pure torture. It would feel like... dating Percy, but it's just Percy being Percy, trying to be a good friend...”

“You love him and just being friends is not enough for you, I get that”, nodded Jason with a frown. “So what do you do about it? I mean, you're not always declining, right? …Right?”

“I told you, I can't do this”, grunted Nico with a nasty glare. “I can't go and see a movie, with only Percy, and not be tempted to kiss him or anything stupid. I can't.”

“I... understand if just being friends with him isn't good enough for you, brother”, sighed Hazel, looking sad. “I mean, Frank and I feel the same way about Leo. And it's gotten worse ever since he freed Calypso. The thought that that... chick gets to touch what should be ours... We wasted our window of opportunity, don't waste yours. Take a chance and just kiss him.”

“No. No, I can't do that”, objected Nico, shaking his head widely. “What if it'll push him away?”

“Let me give you one advice, Nico”, started Reyna and put her cup down slowly. “If you keep saying no every time he asks you to hang out, you already _are_ pushing him away. You're going to lose him if you don't let him in, so you might as well take a chance and risk losing him to learn where you really stand. If you continue to just stand by, life will pass you and you miss it.”

“Maybe... you're right”, sighed Nico and nodded slowly. “I really miss him.”

 

/break\

 

“My mom is taking cooking classes and she learned this great new Italian dish and she wanted to try it tonight, wanted to ask you if you want to taste it and tell her if it's authentic.”

“Okay.”

“I get if you don't have ti—okay?”, stammered Percy stunned.

“Sure”, nodded Nico, acting casually. “I'll bring dessert, is that okay?”

“T—That's perfect!”, exclaimed Percy excitedly. “Tonight at seven, can you make it?”

“I'll be there”, promised Nico. “Well, I better hurry then, gotta make dessert.”

“Heh, yeah, do that”, nodded Percy with a stupid grin. “See you tonight.”

 

/break\

 

“Where's Percy?”, asked Paul confused as he set the table.

“Still getting ready”, laughed Sally at the stove. “He already changed a dozen of times.”

“Why?”, asked Paul, now even more confused. “I thought you said it would only be Nico coming o... Oh. Oh. Huh. Wow, that's unexpected. So... I'll go and tell him to hurry.”

Sally nodded, smiling to herself as she watched her husband climbing up the stairs. Men were so oblivious. How could Paul not have noticed that all Percy talked about these days was that Percy was so happy he ran into Nico on the streets and how sad he was when Nico blew him off. It was so painfully obvious that Percy had deeper feelings for Nico. It was also obvious that Nico was in for a preaching at one point tonight, because Sally was not okay with her baby suffering.

“Percy?”, asked Paul and knocked on the door.

“Five more minutes. Urgh, that shirt is horrible. Make it ten minutes, fifteen at top.”

“Percy?”, chuckled Paul and opened the door to peek in. “Just put something on and come downstairs. You're making yourself go crazy here, that's no good.”

“It's our first date, Paul!”, huffed Percy with a glare. “I just want to look good...”

“He already visited when you were wearing your _Finding Nemo_ pjs. He saw you in torn and bloody clothes during quests and wars. I don't think he cares if you're wearing the azure-blue shirt or the aquamarine-blue shirt”, pointed Paul out, grinning a little. “Wouldn't you agree?”

“I... guess you're right”, sighed Percy and nodded slowly. “Five minutes. Promise.”

“Okay”, nodded Paul amused and left the room.

 

/break\

 

Nico frowned as he straightened his black shirt. This probably wasn't the best idea he had ever had, but he liked the Blofisses and he had been blowing Percy off a lot lately. He tried a shy smile when the door opened and he came face to face with Sally Blofis. She didn't smile back.

“It's about time you said yes”, chided Sally with a disapproving look on her face. “Percy has been going out of his mind, wondering why you wouldn't want to go out with him. I don't like when my son is upset, so I really hope you're a better boyfriend than friend.”

Nico just stood there and blinked a couple of times. Sally all the while took the pomegranate mousse out of his hands and returned inside. After about five minutes did Percy approach him.

“Uhm... So you _are_ a vampire then, huh?”, joked Percy awkwardly. “You can come in, you know.”

“Oh. Right. Sorry, your mom just confused me a bit”, nodded Nico equally awkward.

The two of them continued to stare at each other whenever they thought the other wasn't looking. It was a good thing that Paul and Sally were there too, because otherwise the demigods would have spend the whole night staring at each other, not saying a word. But Paul and Sally continued to ask questions about New Rome and how the underworld was doing and such.

“I don't think I can eat another bite”, grunted Paul pleased, patting his belly.

“But Nico made dessert”, argued Sally and brought the delicious smelling dish.

Nico smiled a bit embarrassed as the three others started to eat it and praised him. Honestly, he was having a really good time and he even didn't feel that awkward anymore. The comment from Sally was nearly forgotten by the time the four retreated to the living room to watch a movie. Paul sat on the armchair and Sally was sprawled all over the larger couch, leaving the smaller couch for Nico and Percy to share. She grinned at her son, who only blushed brightly. When  _Finding Nemo_ started, Nico and Percy were sitting on the farthest ends of the couch, but the longer they watched, the closer did they scoot closer. By the time the end-credits rolled, Percy was laying curled together and with his head on Nico's chest. The son of Hades was slowly caressing Percy's side.

“It's getting late”, commented Paul after the movie. “You should probably get going, Nico.”

“I... Yes, sir”, nodded Nico awkwardly and stood, missing the warmth of Percy next to him.

“I'll see you out”, said Percy hastily and stood to follow Nico.

“Whaff!”, growled Mrs. O'Leary displeased, nudging Nico. “ _Why do you leave? Stay! Stay!_ ”

“I can't stay, Molly”, chuckled Nico and ruffled her head.

“ _But your mate is always so sad when you go_ ”, whined Mrs. O'Leary, staring at him with large eyes.

Nico blushed furiously when the hellhound called Percy his mate. Percy stared at him confused while they walked out of the house, closing the door for a little more privacy.

“What are you two talking about?”, asked the son of Poseidon suspiciously.

“N—Nothing, Percy”, grunted Nico embarrassed. “You two could visit us in the underworld sometime, if you want. I think you were right, Mrs. O'Leary does miss someone to talk to.”

“I'd love to!”, exclaimed Percy, maybe a little too eager, so he blushed. “Uhm, I mean... I just... missed you, I guess. I mean, sure it was nice running into you on the streets, but really sitting down and spending time with you is something different. Sure, this wasn't really the first date I had pictured for us, but, uhm, well, at least Paul seems to be more at ease now.”

Nico froze up and stared at Percy. “This was... a date...”

Now it was Percy turn to freeze and stare mortified at Nico. “Oh my gods, you didn't know this was a date! I just made a complete fool of myself in front of you  _and_ my parents. Hades, just kill me.”

“Don't ask my dad to do something he wants to do”, warned Nico.

“Don't distract me”, huffed Percy, his face beet-red. “You didn't know this was a date. Oh gods. You didn't know that... that... the other times I asked you out, that I was asking you out...?”

“No”, confessed Nico, feeling very awkward again. “But, wait, please. Hear me out.”

“What? So you can tell me how sorry you are and that if you had known this was a date, you wouldn't have agreed because you didn't want to give me any false hope?”, grunted Percy.

“No!”, disagreed Nico and held onto Percy's wrists to keep him from leaving. “No. If I had known that you were asking me out on dates, I would have said yes the very first time, but I thought you only wanted to hang out as friends, so _I_ didn't want to get any false hope.”

“So... you're telling me that you didn't want to date me because you wanted to date me, basically? Because you didn't know I wanted to date you?”, asked Percy very confused. “I have a headache.”

“What matters”, interrupted Nico and pulled Percy closer. “Is that I want to date you. And that you seemingly want to date me. So... do you... want to be my boyfriend? We could do all the things you asked me to do that I canceled because I didn't know they were supposed to be dates.”

“All the things?”, asked Percy with a small grin, leaning in some more.

“Starting with _Finding Dory_. I'll pick you up tomorrow and we'll go and see it”, promised Nico.

“Okay... boyfriend”, whispered Percy, tilting his head and leaning in the last bit for the kiss.

Nico gasped at the feeling of Percy's soft lips against his own. The kiss tasted like salt and also sweet like Percy and a bit like the pomegranate mousse Percy had eaten earlier. Humming softly, Nico laid his arms around Percy's waist and pulled him closer. Percy's hands rested against Nico's chest as he leaned up for the kiss. Damn Nico and his growth spurt. The moment was perfect, at least until the flashlight from Sally's camera interrupted them and they bolted apart.

“Mom!”, called Percy out embarrassed. “Uhm, well, Nico, I'll see you tomorrow?”

“I'll see you tomorrow”, promised Nico, placing a last, short kiss on Percy's lips before leaving.

 

/break\

 

“Okay, you're starting to freak me out, Jackson.”

Leo was sitting back-to-front on the chair in Percy's room, staring over at his friend. Annabeth had _demanded_ to show Calypso the Smithsonian, so the girls – Annabeth, Piper, Rachel and Calypso – were on a road-trip. Leo had declined, but he figured he'd spend the time with Percy. After all, he hadn't seen the other boy since last week during their picnic. And right now, Percy was laying on his bed, grinning like an idiot and patting Small Bob, who was curled together next to him.

“Mh? Why?”, asked Percy, the grin nearly splitting his face.

“You're _happy_. Not that I'm not happy that you're happy, but... you've been kind of miserable the whole month”, pointed Leo out, cocking one eyebrow. “Did... something good happen?”

“You could say that”, nodded Percy and sat up, blushing brightly. “I probably should have told you guys sooner, but Nico and I, we wanted to see where it was going, but it's going _really_ well. So, uhm, Nico is my boyfriend now. I mean, it's only been five days, but still...”

“How did you do it?”, asked Leo, nearly falling over with his chair. “I mean, you've been trying to ask him out for weeks now! What was the magical, first date that got him hooked?”

“Turned out... he said no because he didn't know I wanted to date him”, sighed Percy and shook his head. “He didn't want to be alone with me because it would have felt too much like dating and he thought it was meant to be hanging out as friends. And that's why he said no.”

“That idiot”, muttered Leo amused, shaking his head. “So... how is it?”

“We went kite flying yesterday, swimming the day before, to the café the day before that and on the day before that, we went and saw _Finding Dory_ in the cinema. And our first date was dinner with my parents”, snorted Percy amused. “He only said yes to that because he figured it would be less awkward with my parents around. It was a hell of a lot awkward.”

“So wait, you've been out every day?”, asked Leo stunned.

“Yep”, nodded Percy, grinning broadly. “He's trying to make up for the lost time, I guess.”

“Doesn't that... mean you were supposed to go out today too?”, asked Leo, looking guilty.

“Well, he offered for me and Mrs. O'Leary to go and visit him in the underworld today...”, drawled Percy. “But I haven't seen you in a while so it's fine. I can always go and visit him tomorrow.”

“No, no. It's fine. I mean, can't we go together?”, suggested Leo, shifting a little. “I've never been to the underworld. I'd really like to see it. If that would be okay, I mean...”

“Sure! I mean, Frank and Hazel are there too, so it's not like you'd be the third wheel”, said Percy.

“No, I'd be the fifth wheel”, muttered Leo beneath his breath.

“You just have to seduce them!”, exclaimed Percy, waving his arms around. “I mean, look at Nico. He didn't even realize that I wanted to date him. Those kids of the underworld are thick. Desperate measures are called for. Now come, let's get going. Nico hates waiting, he worries too easily.”

 

/break\

 

Hazel was grinning to herself as she set the picnic place for four. Nico and Percy had arranged a play-date for Mrs. O'Leary and Zerberus. With those two, a little more supervision would be a good idea, so Hazel had suggested a double-date and invited Frank.

“ _Master's mate! Master's mate!_ ”, exclaimed a sudden, loud voice.

Hazel and Nico turned around to see Mrs. O'Leary. The hellhound ran up to Nico and started licking his face. Nico laughed amused and ruffled her fur while Percy and Leo climbed down from her. Hazel stared surprised at the Latino. What was Leo doing here?

“ _Prince's mate_ ”, stated Zerberus as he slowly approached the new arrival, sniffing Percy. “ _Prince's mate wants pups. Why doesn't prince give mate pups? They'd have strong pups._ ”

“Why is Zerberus sniffing my midsection?”, asked Percy confused, patting one of the three heads.

“It seems Zerberus is under the impression that you want to carry my pups”, replied Nico amused.

“Now I'm having puppy-versions of Nico and Percy in my head”, cooed Leo amused.

Percy though was too busy blushing to react. Frank cocked one eyebrow at them, but his attention turned away from the dogs when Leo sat down next to him, looking a little awkward.

“Sorry for bursting in like that”, muttered the Latino embarrassed.

“It's alright, Leo. It's nice to see you. You barely ever visit New Rome”, smiled Hazel.

“Yeah. We missed you”, nodded Frank in agreement.

“I... uhm... missed you guys too”, mumbled Leo, flushing a little.

Once Zerberus and Mrs. O'Leary were pleased with greeting their master's mate respectively, they turned to say hello to each other, jumping around a little and yelping happily. It gave Nico the opportunity to walk up to his boyfriend, pulling him close.

“Hello”, whispered Nico, only an inch between their lips.

“Hello to you too”, grinned Percy, pecking Nico's lips.

“Stop being disgustingly cute and sit down”, called Hazel out.

The five of them used the time that the dogs were playing with each other to eat their lunch. Half-way through it, Percy noticed that the dogs were back to sniffing him and Nico kept staring at him. Right now, he wished that aside from fish and horses, he'd also understand underworld-creatures, but that was something reserved to children of Hades.

“ _Why does prince's mate smell like he wants pups?_ ”, asked Zerberus confused, nudging Percy.

“ _Because master is a child of the sea. Master can have pups and now that master and his mate spend so much time together, master is getting ready for breeding_ ”, replied Mrs. O'Leary.

Nico choked on his coke and stared wide-eyed at Percy. Percy tilted his head confused.

“Uhm, guys, if you'd excuse us. I think Percy and I'll take the dogs for a walk”, grunted Nico.

Hazel frowned confused as she stared after her brother who hastily pulled Percy along and away from them. Something was weird here. She was also a little displeased that Nico and Percy left her and Frank alone with Leo. Not that she disliked being with Leo, but he was complicated.

“So... how are things going with Calypso?”, pressed Frank out between clenched teeth.

He didn't want to ask. Didn't want to know. But he might as well get it over with, since at one point they'd have to be polite enough to ask about the stupid, stupid,  _stupid_ girlfriend.

“Great”, grinned Leo broadly. “Rachel, Annabeth and Piper are actually on a road-trip with her at the moment. She's really getting used to our modern time and all. I thought it would be harder.”

“Why didn't you go with them?”, asked Hazel surprised.

“I'm not her babysitter”, said Leo confused. “I mean, she has other friends aside from me too, so she doesn't need me to hover by all the time. I already got on her nerves on the island, I guess me being around all the time reminds her of that. She has a whole world waiting for her to discover.”

“True enough. A little distance doesn't hurt in a relationship either”, nodded Frank slowly.

“Relationship?”, repeated Leo stunned. “You think Cally and I are in a relationship? We're just friends. She's bossy and mean and honestly, by now I have enough self-esteem to know that I deserve someone who treats me good. I mean, we kinda work as friends, but I don't need a girlfriend who degrades me all the time and insults me. I'm not like Percy who fell for Annabeth after the thousandth 'seaweed brain' and hours of bickering. Piper beat it into my head, I need to stop being into girls who treat me like crap and start looking for someone... nice.”

“He's not with Calypso”, stated Frank, nudging Hazel while staring at Leo.

“Uhm, I just said that”, nodded Leo confused.

“He was talking to me”, laughed Hazel and scooted closer to the Latino.

So did Frank, from the other side. After a little while, Leo found himself sandwiched between the couple, his thighs touching theirs. Blushing a little, he chewed on his sandwich restlessly.

“Is... there something wrong, guys?”, asked Leo unsure, looking from one to the other.

“I know we weren't always the nicest to you and we're sorry and I really hope we don't go into the 'not nice enough' category anymore, because if so, I'm going to kiss you now”, answered Hazel.

“Okay...”, nodded Leo slowly, gulping. “I mean, yeah, you're nice. I know why you two were acting weird around me at first, but we're friends now, right? I... like you a lot.”

“Then I'm going to kiss you now”, smiled Hazel and leaned over.

 

/break\

 

“Okay, what's up with you?”, grunted Percy, a little freaked out after a while.

Mrs. O'Leary and Zerberus were running around wildly and Nico was just silently staring at him. “Sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out, Perce. It's just... Molly and Zerberus said that you're... uhm... getting ready for... breeding? Because you can have... pups.”

“Well, they have good noses, so I guess they can smell my hormones”, mumbled Percy embarrassed and blushed brightly. “That's not how I wanted to tell you that we _really_ need contraception when we have sex, because... well, I _can_ get pregnant. It's a Poseidon-thing.”

“That's... interesting”, nodded Nico slowly.

“You're freaking out, right?”, groaned Percy, hiding his face between his hands.

“Actually, no”, chuckled Nico amused.

“No?”, grunted Percy surprised and peaked out from between his fingers.

“No”, confirmed Nico and stopped, taking Percy's hand. “You talk to fish and can walk over water. Why should it freak me out that you can get pregnant, Perce? It just means we have to use protection until we want children. I mean, if that's something you'd want, of course.”

“Let's take it one step after the other, Nick”, suggested Percy and leaned in to kiss Nico.

Nico smiled into the kiss, one hand in Percy's neck. “Okay. So... should we return to the others?”

“No. I told Leo very seriously today that if Hazel and Frank don't get it right soon, he has to seduce them. So I really hope he's using this opportunity to do some seducing”, declined Percy with a grin.

“Why would he do that?”, asked Nico, honestly surprised. “What about Calypso?”

“I don't know”, shrugged Percy confused. “She's discovering the female form these days. Thousands of years and she only got to see guys. As far as I know, she's currently dating Drew.”

“Drew?”, repeated Nico stunned and nodded. “Okay. Then we better take a _long_ walk. To be safe.”

Percy didn't understand, but he was fine with that. Their fingers were linked as they followed the two underworld-dogs. A soft smile was laying on Percy's lips. This was perfection.

 

_~*~ The End ~*~_


End file.
